By John Francis, Bruce Peninsula Press
Northern Bruce Peninsula’s municipal Council held a regular Meeting on March 25. There were two delegations to Council, from the Ontario Pumped Storage Project and the Georgian Bay Geopark.
Each delegation brought a Powerpoint presentation. The presentations are included in the Agenda for the Meeting (online); the discussion and Council’s questions are very well documented in the Meeting Minutes, which will appear in the next issue of this newspaper.
Expensive Gravel & Pavement
A tender for crushed gravel was awarded to the lowest bidder, Bridge Construction. The Public Works Manager’s Report notes that the crushed gravel price rose only 3% from 2023, but it is up more than 90% over the last 10 years.
An excerpt from the Public Works Manager’s Report:
“The 2021 Roads and Sidewalks Needs Study estimates that 65,000 tonnes of gravel would be required each year, at an estimated cost of $1.1 million, to maintain the Municipality’s gravel road network. We are currently applying approximately 20,000 tonnes per year.”
A tender for surface treatment (paving/repaving) was awarded to Duncor Enterprises for $566,040.
A tender for micro-surfacing (to renew existing paved roads) was awarded to the lowest bidder, Duncor Enterprises for $462,760.
The Public Works Manager’s Report notes that the municipality will need to invest approximately $1.7 million per year in surface treatment to keep the roads from deteriorating in the long term. (The total of the two paving tenders mentioned above will be $1,028,800.)
Reviewing the County Funding Model — Finding “Achievable Outcomes”
Some months ago, Deputy Mayor Rod Anderson suggested that the services MNBP gets from Bruce County do not match the $8 million per year the municipality is forced to remit to the County. He suggested that MNBP should renegotiate its funding model with the County. Council agreed that there was an apparent imbalance and, after considerable discussion, decided the best route forward probably involved hiring a management consultant. They directed CAO Peggy Van Mierlo-West to propose a strategy.
The CAO Report submitted March 25 recommended hiring Management Consultant StrategyCorp to undertake the analysis and report back to Council. An excerpt from her report:
“Overall, reviewing a funding model requires a comprehensive analysis of the scope of services, financial contributions, cost-sharing agreements, performance metrics, and stakeholder engagement to ensure that the partnership is sustainable, transparent, and accountable.
Administration contacted StrategyCorp to assist in this review. StrategyCorp has proposed a targeted training and education session and facilitated conversation with Council.
The method involves an initial assessment and detailed research to closely examine the issues brought up by Northern Bruce Peninsula in the context with its relationship with Bruce County. The analysis will identify areas for improvement, better alignment, and enhanced transparency, particularly in service provision, clarification of service levels and funding, and identifying any service gaps. This will help gauge the “return on investment” for Northern Bruce Peninsula relative to its contributions.
Following the analysis, StrategyCorp will facilitate a workshop with the Mayor and Council, providing a summary of the findings along with strategic insights and recommendations. This session will address the current situation and explore practical strategies for resolving identified issues, with a focus on achievable outcomes.
The workshop will emphasize key strategies for building a more effective partnership, including improved information sharing, setting common goals, and governance framework. Strategy Corps will also explore various avenues for dialogue, negotiation, and collaboration to lessen tensions and encourage a more cooperative atmosphere.”
The proposed budget is approximately $15,000, to be taken from reserves. Council voted to go ahead.
